


Brilliance

by Blithe_Novelties



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-17
Updated: 2012-02-17
Packaged: 2017-11-23 17:30:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/624737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blithe_Novelties/pseuds/Blithe_Novelties
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Feliciano Vargas has always remained cheerful, never failing to see beauty in even the smallest of things...even towards the very end of his young life. AU. Human names used.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brilliance

**Author's Note:**

> I'd actually had had this plot in my head for a while before it'd written it (well, it was really only the last sentence or so, and I had no idea of the characters or how to get to that last sentence, but still, I had an idea dealing with stars and one character finding beauty in everything and the other the exact opposite of them.) Written Feburary 17, 2012.
> 
> Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.

Warm, golden sunshine spilt over the campus grounds; fluffy white clouds dotting the azure skies, passing by lazily as a cool breeze stirred the green grass, creating a picture perfect spring day. The students's attention had drifted towards the windows, impatiently longing to be outside instead of cooped up in a tiny room, listening to the droning monotone of the salt-and-pepper haired science professor.

The professor, noticing this, tried to turn their thoughts back to the lecture. His attempts though, were in vain, as no matter how loud he cleared his throat, not one student turned their attention back to him. With an exasperated sigh, he sat down at his desk and shuffled through his lesson plans for the next week; anything to keep himself busy until dismissal.

Ludwig Beillshmidt, possibly the only student not trapped in a reverie, tapped the end of his pencil on his desk, becoming increasingly aggravated with the lack of teaching. If all of the teachers gave up when their class stopped paying attention, nobody would ever learn anything. Then where would the world be?

Scowling, he reached into his bag, pulling out the worn paperback he was reading as of late. If there weren't going to be any lessons, the very least he could do was to do something productive and mind-provoking. Soon lost in the pages, he didn't realize for a few minutes or so that his neighbor was poking his shoulder, however, when he did, he gently closed the novel without looking up. Closing his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose, as he often did whenever someone happened to bother him during his moments of frequent irritation; his nostrils flared, as he looked up again, his cerulean orbs narrowing, mouth setting into a straight line.  "Yes Feliciano?"

The small hazel eyed Italian looked up with a small smile, before starting his long-winded inquiry, "What're you reading? It looks interesting. Is it interesting? What's it about? Is it a cookbook? It doesn't look like one, but then again you never know!"

The corner of Ludwig's mouth twitched, his frown deepening, though he refrained from saying anything. While Feliciano's naïve, almost childish nature could be quite annoying at times, no one could ever bring themselves to be angry at the teen, not only because of how sweet he wasbut because everyone at the school knew of his condition. Whether the youngest Vargas knew of the whispers that follow him in the hallways, or saw the looks of pity and sadness in the eyes of everyone who talked to him, remained unknown, and no one wished to ask him about it, as by some silent agreement, they had agreed that it would be better for him to remain oblivious.  They all knew that the future was inevitable; there was nothing they could do to change it.

"Ludwig, what's wrong, you're not getting sick, are you? Please don't be sick!" Worry lines creased the ginger haired teen's face and his ramblings started up again. "Is it too hot in here?  Can we crack a window, mister-"

"I'm fine, Feliciano. Just" he sighed, seeing the other's eyes fill with confusion. He couldn't bring himself to be annoyed with the Italian any more than anyone else could, while a year ago, he wouldn't have hesitated to tell him, quite bluntly, to shut up. But saying something of the sort now would be uncalled for, and only make Feliciano feel miserable about upsetting his friend.

"Oh, okay. Hey, Ludwig, want to come over to Lovino's and my house tonight? We're having pasta." Just like that he'd jumped from one conversation topic to the next, motioning excitedly with his hands as his described the dinner that his Grandpa Vargas was supposedly cooking up at the moment; Ludwig only half listened, ignoring the glare sent his way by Feliciano's older brother, as his thoughts wandered off to the future. Feliciano, the only person he could call his true friend was going to be gone in a few months, his desks to be left empty, the bed in the Vargas's quaint little house never more to be slept in, never again would the people of the town hear his incessant ramblingsit would be as if he never existed, but Ludwig would know better. They _all_ would.

The bell rang, and rustling sounds as everyone gathered their things filled the room; students finally breaking out of their trance and talking once more, their voices increasing in volume as more people joined in on the conversation.

"Ludwig? Are you coming?" Feliciano's voice brought the blonde back from his thoughts.

"Yes, I'm coming."

**XxX**

_"Ludwig, have you ever noticed how beautiful the stars are?" the smaller teen looked up at him curiously, awaiting his answer. The two had climbed to the Beillshmidts's roof to talk, to spend one final night together._

_Ludwig went into the normal habit of pinching his nose before answering, "Nein. I don't understand what's so special about them."_

_"Well, they're like little dancers in shining costumes, performing a show for us to see. They light up the sky with their dancejust to bring us joy," Feliciano spoke, his gaze skywards. "Grandpa says they're the souls of those who've passed away."_

_The blonde would've told him that everything he just spoke was nothing more than mere nonsense, had it not been now that he was telling him all this, had it not been for that last sentence._

_"Ludwig?" the other's voice was softer now, a hint of worry edging onto his voice, "do you think it's true?  Will I get to join the stars too?"_

_A lump formed in Ludwig's throat, "Iyes. You will. You'll be able to join the stars."_

**XxX**

Six months had passed since Feliciano had been laid to rest, another young life cut short by cancer. Ludwig still couldn't believe that the cheerful Italian boy was gone, always expecting him to show up to class with a smile upon his face, or knock on his door and ask if he wanted  to play football (or, as Alfred called it, soccer), with him. Each time he was disappointed, a sharp pain stabbing his chest when he remembered that he was gone, never to come back.

As he had done with Feliciano, many times before, he was sitting on his roof, staring at the night sky, and it was almost as if the other was next to him, chattering on about how beautiful the night sky wasbut he knew it was just his imagination, as the only sound came from the chirping of crickets, several feet below.

A star, brighter than its brethren, lit up the sky, bringing a bittersweet smile to Ludwig's face.

Feliciano had always said that the night sky was beautiful, that the stars shone with a breathtaking brilliance, as they danced about the velvet sky, putting on a show for the audience below. Ludwig had only shaken his head at his friend's childish proclamations, but now that he was gone, the blonde had sworn to take more time to appreciate the beauty in the small things, as Feliciano once had, even towards the end of his life. Tonight, Ludwig had glanced up at the night sky, wondering if, perhaps if he looked through the Italian's eyes, it truly would be as beautiful as Feliciano had always said...and it was.


End file.
